6 ways to unlock creativity and get over writer’s block
Are you struggling with writer’s block? It can be the hurdle in the path of many creative projects. Here are 6 tips and tricks to get those ideas flowing again.
Credit: Pixabay. How to be creative and how to get over writer’s block.
Anyone who’s ever pursued a creative project will probably have come across this hurdle at one time or another: writer’s block. Whether you’re a literary writer, an artist, or music creator, sometimes, the inspiration flow dries up and try as you might, you just can’t quite figure out how to be creative.
It can feel terrifying - how long does writer’s block last? Can writer’s block last forever? The good news is… no. You just need to think outside the box and try a few different things to get the ideas the flowing again. So here are some tips and tricks that help me when I’m stuck - my ideas for how to boost creativity in 2024 and beyond.
Credit: kamyar-dehghan. A person dances in red light.
Try a different time of day. Are you forcing yourself into a routine that goes against your natural tendency? It could be that this is affecting your creativity.
Musicians are more likely to be night-owls, and secrete the night-time hormone later in the evening than non-musicians (and this is absolutely true for me - sometimes I’ll spend all day feeling stuck but when the sun dips below the horizon, I’ll burst into life.)
Get out into nature. It’s scientifically proven that nature can help stimulate creativity by making us more curious and more flexible in how we think. It’s especially important for the very first part of the creative process - and often, the starting is the hardest part.
Credit: Philip Ackermann. Image shoes a women running along a path lined with trees. Getting out into nature and exercising can both boost creativity.
3. Take the pressure off. Sometimes that pressure can just cause stress and anxiety, stifling your creative genius. So if you’re researching how to find creativity in 2024… maybe decide to give yourself a day or a week off.
4. Let yourself get bored. This one goes hand in hand with taking the pressure off; in today’s modern world, smartphones and constant stimulation mean we spend less time daydreaming and more time consuming, but daydreaming could be a vital mediator between boredom and creativity.
Credit: Ronê Ferreira. Images shows a group of musicians in a circle. Try collaborating or going to a concert to find new creativity.
5. Get moving. Exercise and creativity go hand in hand - neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki says that exercise is the single most transformative thing you can do for your brain today. It helps boost ideas, focus, mood and even protects against future diseases.
6. Collaborate. Sometimes taking in and experiencing another person’s art, can help you find new ways to be creative. New novel experiences can unlock new ideas appearing within you - so you could visit a gallery or go to a concert that you wouldn’t usually select.
In Sylvan Weekends, Matthew and I co-write all the songs - and sometimes, a little bit of writing from him will spark and idea in me and vice versa.